Page 49 of Mile High Heist

He grimaced, not believing me. “Hope you know what you’re doing cause I sure as shit ain’t fitting down there to retrieve you.”

I turned to Julie, who grew flustered at my intensity. She was a pretty girl. My lips curled up.

“Feeling brave, pet?”

She squeaked, then laughed at her own reaction. “Yeah, I mean. Yes, of course.”

She came forward, peering down into the shaft. “Jesus. Maybe you go first?”

I stared at her for a beat longer, until she grew uncomfortable and visibly frazzled. I smiled again. I couldn’t resist.

Then I climbed down into the avionics bay. It was warm, like the inside of an artery. The servers pulsed red and blue. It was eight steps end to end. I waited at the opposite end as Julie clambered down the ladder clumsily.

It was almost endearing.

Above her, the captain shouted down: “Closing the hatch. You can open it from the inside.”

With a last distrustful look my way, he shut the metal hatch on our heads.

Julie looked at the servers like they belonged to an alien ship. “This is crazy,” she said, hugging her arms to her body. “Didn’t think I’d be doing this today.”

I said nothing.

My silence made her chuckle awkwardly. I wondered if she regretted her decision to follow me down here.

If she didn’t yet, she would.

“So…” she started, biting her lip. “I’m getting the sense you’re not a chit-chat kind of guy. That’s cool. I’ll just stay out of your way.”

My mouth twisted in disdain. She looked small and vulnerable. A baby bird with broken wings, too delicate to crush.

“Don’t do that,” I told her.

Her eyes widened. “Do what?”

I stalked toward her. Four steps. Five steps.

Six.

She backed up reflexively, but there was nowhere for her to go. She was pressed to the ladder. Her eyes darted over my face.

“Shouldn’t you be doing something with all this?” She flapped a hand at the walls of humming hardware. Her discomfort made her twitchy. She struggled to meet my eye, knowing what she would find.

A predator. And she’d wandered straight into his den.

“We have time,” I said. “I will get to that.”

She frowned, hugging herself even tighter. “What are you waiting for?”

I took the final step.

“W-What are you doing?” Her voice pitched in fear.

“You are remarkable,” I said. And I meant it. Give credit where credit was due.

Her face tilted up, pupils dilating in terror. She tried to speak but couldn’t. Her eyes grew glassy, filled to the brim with tears.

“No,” I whispered, skin itching again at her helplessness. “I told you not to do that.”